Holiday rentals and lettings in Madeira

Most of the holiday lettings in Madeira are situated around the coastal edges of the island, but at just 800 square kilometres, you’ll be able to explore the whole gem of the interior of the island wherever you stay. The north coast of Madeira, where around half of the lettings are to be found, is cooler and wetter than the south and less densely populated. The south of the island plays host to the beautiful Funchal, the main city of Madeira and centre of its shopping and nightlife.

On this subtropical island paradise, rental properties are designed so that you can soak in the view, from floor-to-ceiling windows to delightful terraces and attractive gardens overlooking the sparkling Atlantic Ocean. Many holiday rentals in Madeira have swimming pools, including infinity pools so you can swim at the same time as you take in the outrageous views.

Madeira is a Portuguese island in the Atlantic Ocean, 90 minutes flight from Lisbon. Most people arrive by air, into the Cristiano Ronaldo Airport in Funchal, with some coming by ferry to the same city. The largest city, Funchal, is in the south and is a fun, hipster, arty and welcoming place with a vibrant nightlife scene. It has a delightful old town which grew out of a fishing village. The north is also home to the popular seaside town of Camara de Lobos. In contrast, the quiet north of Madeira is a natural paradise, with more animals than people and jaw-dropping scenery.

One of the most interesting parts of Madeira is in Porto Moniz, a small village in the north west, where ancient volcanoes have formed natural pools in the sea where young children can play in complete safety. You might even get lucky and spot dolphins leaping in the waters outside the pools! Nature abounds on Madeira, and just inland from Porto Moniz you’ll find lush, green landscapes and you may spot some of the island’s rare birds such as the Laurel Forest!

Famous for the wine of the same name, Madeira produces a range of fortified wines from dry, premium dinner wines to sweet, sultry dessert wines. The grapes are grown on treacherously steep slopes and picked exclusively by hand. Madeira is an aged wine using a unique process where even the young versions are at least 3 years old. The wine tour with the super-friendly crew at Barbeito Madeira is the highest rated on the island.

The crystal clear waters of the Atlantic Ocean surrounding the island are a haven for sea mammals such as bottlenose dolphins, pilot whales, sperm whales and the monk seal. The Garajau Parcial marine park on the south coast of Madeira is home to manta rays, mero fish and moray eels. This marine sanctuary is tightly controlled – hunting and fishing of any kind is absolutely banned – and very few boats can enter the water here, making it a very special place to dive.

The Cabo Girão Skywalk, located on the south coast of Madeira, is a glass walkway – a cliff skywalk – and the highest in Europe. Great for those who like to challenge their inherent vertigo head one!

From the Portuguese verb ‘to carry’, levar, the Levadas are a series of water canals along which water is taken from the wetter north to the hot, sunny south. Walk the canal tow paths and discover the real heart of Madeira.

Hit the Mercado dos Lavradores in Funchal’s old town for the fruit and vegetable experience of your life. Try out the Pitanga, a small, red fruit and find more rare, unusual and delicious foodstuffs at this fun and friendly market.

A remarkable way to travel – the Carro de Cesto is a wicker sledge on which you are pushed by two strapping men along the 2 kilometre journey from Monte to Funchal. They use their boots as brakes, but don’t let that put you off!

For those who like to catch but not eat, catch and release fishing is very popular in the waters around Madeira. The main fish of choice is the spectacular Blue Marlin, with large adults easily reaching 100kg in weight!